TY - CHAP M1 - Book, Section TI - Branchial Cleft Cyst A1 - Shah, Ashish A1 - Sobolewski, Brad A1 - Mittiga, Matthew R. A2 - Knoop, Kevin J. A2 - Stack, Lawrence B. A2 - Storrow, Alan B. A2 - Thurman, R. Jason Y1 - 2021 N1 - T2 - The Atlas of Emergency Medicine, 5e AB - A branchial cleft cyst arises from the incomplete obliteration of one of the four branchial clefts during embryogenesis. As obliteration of the clefts occurs, a portion may remain, forming a cystic space with an epithelial lining and no connection to the skin or pharynx. The anatomic location of a branchial cleft cyst depends on the specific arch/cleft involved. Involvement of the 1st cleft may result in a cyst in the region of the parotid gland, the preauricular or postauricular area, or inferior to the angle of the mandible. Second cleft anomalies represent 70% to 90% of cysts and may be found along the anterior border of or deep to the sternocleidomastoid muscle, in the vicinity of the carotid arteries. Third and 4th arch/cleft anomalies are rare. A cyst usually presents clinically as a lateral, tender neck mass due to acute infection and enlargement usually in association with an upper respiratory infection. SN - PB - McGraw-Hill CY - New York, NY Y2 - 2024/03/28 UR - accessmedicine.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1181044517 ER -